Panic and the Send Button

Have you ever spent an hour (or more) crafting the perfect email, only to hit send and then immediately know that you've made a terrible mistake?

I have.  It's excruciating.

Sometimes, I think I've left out the subject line.  Duh.  Other times, I'm convinced that I've forgotten to change the day/ address/ name on the email -- this happens when I send out queries to publishers or literary agents which, although they are personalized, are essentially the same content.

Have I ever actually made one of these mistakes?  No, not to my knowledge.

So why then do I feel that little pulse of panic after I send out an important email?  I think it's part of my overall fears (of succeeding, of failing, of both).  Anticipating a rejection even before I get the actual response is one of my failings.

Of course, I have learned to re-read my emails in draft and make sure they have a subject line that adheres to the submission criteria, as well as the right email address and contact info.  But do I still panic and have to scramble to re-read my email after it's been sent?  Naturally.  It's all part of the fun of being a writer.